Air conditioned fuel handling suit



Nov. 20, 1962 P. E. WHITTINGTON AIR CONDITIONED FUEL HANDLING SUIT FiledMarch 15, 1960 INVENTOR PauLE Whitiingitorz ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 3,064,448 AIR CONDITIONED FUEL HANDLING SUIT Paul E. Whittington,Framingham, Mass., assignor to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary' of the Army Filed'Mar'. 15, 1960, Ser. No.15,246 Claims. (Cl. 62'259) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952),sec. 266) The invention described herein,'if patented, may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally to air-conditioning systems andespecially to self-contained units wherein enclosed spaces may beautomatically air conditioned for human occupancy.

Inasmuch as humans generate heat, moisture, and carbon dioxide, all ofwhich may have deleterious effects on the human body, it is a primaryobject of the present invention to provide novel and effective means forremoving suitable proportions of these injurious items.

A further object of the invention consists in supplying respiratory gasto the interior of the enclosure so as to maintain a suflicient quantityof oxygen therein, while at the same time ejecting from the enclosure asufflcient proportion of the heat, moisture, and carbon dioxidegenerated therein, to provide a healthful atmosphere.

In accordance with the present embodiment of the invention, a heatexchanger is disposed adjacent the enclosure and produces coolrespiratory gas, which serves to remove excessive heat and moisture fromthe atmosphere while causing the atmosphere to circulate and a portionof the carbon dioxide to be ejected.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to combine with asuit and head covering, providing a complete impermeable enclosure forthe human body, a heat exchanger and a supply of liquid oxygen, the heatex-' changer being so constructed that the vapor from the expandingliquid oxygen passes through a venturi tube thereby causing a continuouscirculation of the ambient air over the heat exchanger to cool the airand to separate therefrom a portion of the moisture given off by theoccupant of the enclosure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the novelair-conditioned suit in use,

FIGURE 2 is a similar view taken at a different angle to more clearlyshow the apparatus, with parts omitted for the sake of clearness, and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged schematic view of the apparatus, parts beingbroken away to more clearly disclose the arrangement of the heatexchanger and related parts.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference numerals,the numeral 1 indicates the encapsulating suit or other enclosure whichis formed of air-impervious material and is completely sealed againstacid fumes or other dangerous fluids with which the suit may besurrounded. An the primary purpose of the invention consists inproviding suitable air for the occupant of the suit while removing atleast a substantial proportion of the carbon dioxide, moisture, and heatgenerated by him.

The air-conditioning apparatus consists primarily of a heat exchangerindicated generally by the numeral 2, a double-walled tank 3 containingliquid air or oxygen, and straps 4 for supporting the apparatus from theshoulders of the wearer. It will be understood, of course,

3,064,448 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 that the space between the walls of thetank will be evacuated to reduce the leakage of heat from the outside tothe liquid within the tank.

The heat exchanger 2 is composed of a casing 5 in which is mounted apipe coil 6 which enters the bottom of the casing as indicated by thenumeral 7 and is connected with the lower end of the oxygen tank 3 byhose 8. This those is provided with a quick-detachable coupling 9 whichwill permit a quick replacement of a tank 3 after it has discharged itscontents.

A manually operable valve 10 within reach of the wearer of the suitserves to regulate or control the flow of liquid oxygen to the expansioncoil 6. From this valve 10 a pipe 11 extends to the center of the coiland thence downwardly into a somewhat larger pipe 12 provided with aflared open end 13 to form a venturi tube for circulating ambient airthrough the suit 1 as will presently appear.

The lower end of the venturi tube passes through the bottom of thecasing 5 of the heat exchanger and connects with a flexible hose 14leading to a plenum chamber 15. From this chamber 15 flexible hoseconnections 16 lead the expanded and warmed gas to the interior ofvarious parts of the suit, there being four such connections in thepresent disclosure extending to the arms and legs of the suit.

The upper portion of the suit 1 is provided with an opening to which aflexible hose 17 is connected for directing the spent gases to theinterior of the casing 5' for heating the expanding fluid flowingpassing upwardly through the coil 6. To facilitate this action of thespent gases on the fluid flowing from tank 3 into and through the coiledexpansion pipe 6, a baflie 18 is provided. This baflie is in the form ofa box closed at its upper end but provided with an opening to receivethe pipe 11, and open at its lower end to permit the entrance of ambientair as it is drawn into the venturi tube 13; the ambient air being theair in the casing 5. It will thus be seen that the baflie 18 causesrelatively warm and moistureladen air passing into the casing 5 from thetube '17 to pass over and around the expansion coil 6 prior to itsentrance into the venturi tube for recirculation.

The'suit 1 is provided with a gas-tight zipper closure to permit donningor dofling of the suit, and the upper or hood portion of the suit isprovided with a check or dumping valve 19 to permit the'automatic escapeof a portion of the spent air.

In the operation of the air-conditioned suit, controlled amounts ofliquid air are withdrawn at approximately, 312 F. to the expansion coil6 at about 70 p.s.i.g. The liquid oxygen or air is converted into a gasby absorbing heat from the warm moist air that passes downwardly overthe coil by reason of aspiration caused by thr venturi 13. The volume ofair passing through the heat exchanger or converter may be con-trolledby the' manually-operable valve 10 which is a non-stop valveconveniently located for flow control by the user. Subsequent to itsconversion to a gas, the gaseous air passes downwardly through pipe 11into the venturi tube'which" causes by aspiration six (6) to eight (8)volumes of spent air from the suit to combine with one (1) volume of gasfrom the expansion coil. This mixtureof gases enters hose 14 at arelatively low pressure and at a temperature between 55 and 70 F. Thetempered air enters the plenum chamber 15 and is distributed through thefour hose connections 16 to the arms and legs of the wearer of the suit.The air after moving over the arms,

legs and torso passes to the hood portion of the suit, Where a portionof it equal to the pure air being con verted from the liquid state andentering the venturi tube will pass through a check valve 19 to theatmosphere. The other portion of the air entering the hood 'portion'ofthe suit is returned through hose 17 to the heat exchanger where it willpass over the coiled expansion pipe 6 and be cooled so that excessmoisture previously taken up from the body of the wearer will condensedand freeze on the exterior of the coiled pipe. During the periods ofnon-use, the frost will melt from the coiled pipe, as it becomes warmer,and flow downwardly to the bottom of the casing from which it may bedrained by pet cock (not shown).

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be apparent that I have devised a relatively simpleand inexpensive combination of an air-impermeable suit, heat exchangerand oxygen tank which will operate in a reliable manner for circulatingrespiratory air through the suit, that the air is automatically relievedof a portion of the carbon dioxide, moisture, and heat generated by thewearer and that the entire series of operations involved is caused bythe action of the venturi tube located within the expansion coil and themanually operable valve 10.

As heretofore stated, liquid air or liquid oxygen may be used in theapparatus of the present invention, and, hence, it is to be understoodthat the claims are not intended to be limited to an apparatus usingliquid oxygen only.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I nowconsider to be the preferred form of the invention but inasmuch asvarious minor changes may be made in structural details withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention it is intended that all suchchanges be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, an air-impervious suit for humans, a heat exchangerincluding a casing and a coiled expansion pipe therein, a tank of liquidoxygen communicating with the pipe at the lower end of the coil, meansfor conveying oxygen expanded in said coiled expansion pipe from theupper end of the pipe to the interior of the suit, said means includinga venturi tube having an inlet into which oxygen expanded in said coiledexpansion pipe is discharged, an outlet and a suction throat, and meansfor conveying air from the suit to the interior of said casing, thesuction throat of said venturi communicating with the interior of saidcasing so that air from said casing will be drawn into said venturi bythe suction generated at the throat of said venturi when expanded oxygenis discharged into the said inlet of the venturi from said coiledexpansion pipe whereby said venturi tube will cause a circulation of airthrough the suit and casing.

2. In combination, an air-imprevious suit for humans, a heat exchangerincluding a casing and a vertically disposed coiled expansion pipetherein, a tank of liquid oxygen communicating with the pipe at thelower end of the coil, means for conveying fluid expanded in saidcoiledexpansion pipe from the upper end of the pipe to the interior tothe suit, said means including a venturi tube disposed centrally of saidpipe coil, means for conveying air from the suit to the interior of saidcasing, and a baffle envelopingthe top and sides of the venturi tube,whereby air entering the casing is caused to pass downwardly over thecoils of the tube prior to entering the venturi tube.

3. In combination, an air-impervious suit for humans, a heat exchangerincluding a casing and a coiled expansion pipe therein, a tank of liquidoxygen communicating with the pipe at the lower end of the coil, meansfor conveying fluid expanded in said coiled expansion pipe from theupper end of the pipe to the interior of the suit, said means includinga venturi tube, means for conveying air from the suit to the interior ofsaid casing, whereby said venturi tube will cause a circulation of airthrough the suit and casing, and a valve in the suit for permitting theescape of a portion of the circulating air.

, 4, In combination, an air-impervious suit for humans, a heat exchangerincluding a casing and a coiled expansion pipe therein, a tank of liquidaxygen communicating with the pipe at the lower end of the coil, meansfor conveying fluid expanded in said coiled expansion pipe from the theupper end of the pipe to the interior of the suit, said means includinga venturi tube, means for conveying air from the suit to the interior ofsaid casing, whereby said venturi tube will cause -a circulation of airthrough the suit and casing, and a check valve in the suit forpermitting the escape of a portion of the circulating air, and ahandoperated valve for controlling the flow of the expanded fluid to theventuri tube.

5. Protective apparatus comprising an air impervious garment forcompletely inclosing a wearer, means for supplying conditioned air tothe interior of said garment including an expansion coil having an inputend and an output end, a casing to house said coil, a source of liquidoxygen connected to the input end of said expansion coil so thatexpansion of the oxygen includes a circulation of the same through saidcoil, a venturi having an inlet connected to the output end-of saidexpansion coil, a suction throat communicatiing with the interior ofsaid casing and an outlet, means for establishing communication betweenthe interior of said garment and said casing so that the aspiration ofair from said casing by said venturi will induce a circulation of airfrom the garment to the casing, passage forming means to direct the airflowing into said casing from said garment into the area surroundingsaid coil and means for connecting the outlet of said venturi to theinterior of said garment so that there is delivered to the interior ofsaid garment when said device is operating a mixture comprising theoxygen vaporized in said expansion coil and the air aspirated from saidcasing through the suction throat of said venturi.

6. Protective apparatus comprising an air impervious garment forcompletely enclosing a wearer, a source of liquid oxygen, an expansioncoil having an input end connected to said source ofoxygen and an outputend, a casing to house said expansioncoil, a baifle in said casinghaving walls spaced from the walls of said casing, one

end of said baflie being open to establish communicationv between theinterior of the baffle and the interior of said casing, said expansioncoil being disposed in the space between the walls of said casing andthe walls of said bafile, a venturi housed in the space defined by thewalls of said bafiie and having an inlet connected to the output end ofsaid expansion coil, a suction throat communicating with the space insaid baffle so as to aspirate air therefrom and an outlet connected tosaid garment to discharge thereto a mixture of oxygen expanded in saidcoil and the air aspirated by said venturi, means for returning air fromsaid garment to the space in said casing so that the aspiration of airfrom said casing by said venturi will induce a circulation of air fromthe garment to the casing, a manually operable valve to controldischarge of expanded air to said venturi and a pressure relief valvefor discharging air from said garment ,to the exterior.

V 7. A system for supplying conditioned air to an enclosed space such asan air impervious body-encapsulating garment comprising a source ofliquid oxygen, an expansion coil having an imput end connected to saidsource of oxygen and an output end, a casing to house said expansioncoil, a baflle in said casing having walls spaced from the walls of saidcasing, one end of said batfle being opened to establish communicationbetween the interior of the baffle and the interior of said casing, saidexpansion coil being disposed in the space between the walls of saidcasing and the walls of said baflle, a venturi housed in the spacedefined by the walls of said battle and having an inlet connected to theoutput end of said ex-. pansion coil, a suction throat communicatingwith the space in said baflle so as to aspirate air therefrom and anoutlet connected tosaid garment to discharge thereto a mixture of oxygenexpanded in said coil and the air aspirated by said venturi, means forreturning air from said garment to the space in said casing so that theaspiration of air from said casing by said venturi will induce acirculation of air from the garment to the casing, a manually operablevalve to control discharge of expanded air to said venturi and apressure relief valve for discharging air from said garment to theexterior.

8. In combination, an air-impervious suit for humans, a heat exchangerincluding a casing and a coiled expansion pipe in said casing having aninlet and an outlet, a tank of liquid oxygen communicating with theinlet end of said coiled expansion pipe, means for conveying air fromthe suit to the interior of said casing and means for conveying gaseousfluid from the outlet end of said coiled expansion pipe to the interiorof said suit including means for drawing said air from said casing andmixing the same with the expanded oxygen discharged from the outlet endof said coiled expansion pipe, said air drawing means being actuated todraw air from said casing by the passage of expanded oxygen from theoutlet end of said coiled expansion pipe into the means for conveyinggaseous fluid to said suit.

9. In combination, an air-impervious suit for humans, a heat exchangerincluding a casing and a coiled expansion pipe in said casing having aninlet and an outlet, a tank of liquid oxygen communicating with theinlet end of said coiled expansion pipe, means for conveying air fromthe suit to the interior of said casing, means for conveying gaseousfluid from the outlet end of said coiled expansion pipe to the interiorof said suit including means for drawing said air from said casing andmixing the same with the expanded oxygen discharged from the outlet endof said coiled expansion pipe, said air drawing means being actuated todraw air from said casing by the passage of expanded oxygen from theoutlet end of said coiled expansion pipe into the means for conveyinggaseous fluid to said suit, and a manually operated valve forcontrolling the flow of oxygen through said coiled expansion pipe.

10. An air conditioner for conditioning the air in an enclosed spacesuch as an encapsulating suit for humans comprising a heat exchangerincluding a coiled expansion pipe having an inlet and an outlet and acasing for enclosing the same, a baflle in said casing having wallsspaced from the walls of said casing, the said coiled ex pansion pipebeing disposed in the space between the walls of said casing and thewalls of said baffle, a tank of liquid oxygen communicating with theinlet end of said coiled expansion pipe, means for conveying air fromthe interior of said suit to the upper regions of the space between thewalls of said casing and the walls of said baflie and means forconveying gaseous fiuid from the outlet end of said coiled expansionpipe to the interior of said suit including means for drawing said airfrom said casing and mixing the same with the expanded oxygen dischargedfrom the outlet end of said coiled expansion pipe, the expansion ofliquid oxygen from said tank producing a flow of expanded oxygen throughsaid coiled expansion pipe and the said air withdrawing means beingactuated to draw air from said casing by the flow of expanded oxygenfrom the outlet end of said coiled expansion pipe into the means forconveying gaseous fluid to said suit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS655,148 Dickerson July 31, 1900 2,819,590 Green Jan. 14, 1958 2,943,459Rind July 5, 1960 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CETlFlQATE @F CECTIUNPatent No, 3,064A48 November 20 1962 Paul E, Whittington It is herebycertified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiringcorrection and that the said Letters Patent should read as correctedbelow.

Column l line 62 for "An" read And ---5 column 2 line 8 for "those" readhose line 29, strike out "flowing"; line 53 for thr" read the column 3,line 4, for

condensed" read condense line 56 for interior to" read interior ofcolumn 4 line 1, for axygen" read oxygen line l8 for "includes" readinduces line 21, for "communlcati'ing" read communicating Signed andsealed this 14th day of May 1963,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w.- SWIDER DAVID LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

